Week 6, still residing in hospital 3 I had somehow forced myself into a great headspace and started looking forward to my daily physio sessions as I was seeing continuous improvement and it filled my days

On the Monday the physios did a scenario of: let’s say you’ve fallen over, face first, can you get up? And I could get to my hands (in a fashion) and knees, then a squat then up to my feet if I had something to balance with

Itwas the first time I felt I’d used a lot of my body together at the same time in a long time and it almost felt normal like I had some control of my body

The Tuesday was another time the physios challenged me. Flamingo standing with all weight on my weak leg and balancing then could I move my strong-leg around then n front of me and transfer the weight,it was wobbly but I did it! It was my first kind of step,

Also I wore shoes for the first time in over 2 months; I had a pair of white and green river island trainers on, I’d once bought them for a holiday and rarely worn afterwards.I’d last worn them going to theatre in hospital one, it turns out not only are shoes nice for style but they adjusted my feet position to stabilised me more by leaning me forwards a tiny amount and stopping my weak foot from rolling

In the time I’d been in hospital I had ordered 2 pairs of shoes both timberlands (or timbos) which as a brand I have a real soft spot for. One was a walking trainer I planned on using for dog walking hopefully in the future, the other the traditional sandy colour but with a blue detail these were going to be nicer and more for going out, I wasn’t even sure what going out would look like in the future, I couldn’t see me many beers deep, in in a bar with friends (normally gymnastic friends) having a dance I definitely wanted both pairs for our planned September holiday, initially booked as 5 nights with me, Rich and marina the dog. We planned on doing a lot of walking and going out when we booked it months pre stroke. But like many things it just got added to my goals list

Week 6 also had parole meeting 3, ,link here) where my request to go home was once again declined, while I had a room of everybody involved in my care we discussed the fact the rehab service was great but physiotherapy stopped on a weekend which was a shame when I was doing so much during the week. one of my favourite physios “bit” and said she would come in on the weekend on her own time and without the rest of the team which was incredibly kind of her

Saturday came I was sat outside with Rich, my parents, sister and her kids when the physiotherapist arrived

Claire, rich and dad left to go to costa coffee, I went to the physio room with the one physiotherapist and my mum who had been asked to assist, after some normal exercises like bridges, core work and then standing up. I was sat perched on one plinth bench and another was placed at 90 degrees to my right n making an L shape with the second bench . I was asked to stand. Go through the mechanics of moving my weak leg in a step: core tight, thigh up from knee, drive forward with hip., place foot,weight and power through the foot, get bslsnced then bring the right, strong, leg to match and keep repeating. The physio sat in front of me with a wheeley stool and kept moving back away from me, mum stood to my left supporting my weak arm as a slight balance aid and my right arm lightly touched the bench plinth Not to hold on to but just for a feeling of balance, it was happening after 6 weeks I had taken my first steps. I walked the length of the plinth which was six feet, I had walked!! As the physio said we were done. I got into my wheelchair and cried at doing something I’d ruled out ever happening again, mum cried too and even the physio came for a hug and cry with us.

We nipped back to my room to grab some bits and then went to find the family up in Costa to tell them, only dad and rich remained but were equally as thrilled, I cried again telling them what I’d done. It was a big step not just the physical steps I’d taken but mentally too, i knew this was a breakthrough and a big tick on my rehab progress